DNF @ 11% — The premise of this one intrigued me but I couldn't stay focused on the story and found myself not wanting to pick it back up. Perhaps I'd be more intrigued by a television series on this topic. Overall, just not for me.

Publication date — 03/11/2025.
Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC.

I admit I did struggle not to compare American Housewife with Lessons in Chemistry. As a feminist it was hard to transport myself to a time when Maggie Lane deferred to Teddy, I felt the author excused a lot of his more toxic traits with 'survivor guilt'. Of course I am reading it through a 21st Century lens, though i didfeel like Maggie was apologetic about her sudden rise to fame which is probably very authentic to the time period.

I felt that introducing Charles midway through was a bit of a red herring and the Jake storyline was very quickly glossed over.

Overall I don't think this book was the right match for me but best of luck to the author.

If you enjoyed Lessons in Chemistry, you’ll love American Housewife.

Set in 1950’s New York, the world is adjusting to post-war life. Women are becoming more independent, and TV is on the rise. Maggie Lane is the stereo-typical American Housewife who is newly married and offered a life changing opportunity.

Becoming the host of The Maggie Lane Baking Show becomes a familiar household name and as Maggie becomes the most recognisable face in America, her home life struggles to adjust. Teddy, her husband, must learn to adapt to no longer being the breadwinner in their marriage.

The premise of the story is very much “can the modern woman have it all?”. Can Maggie have a successful career and a happy marriage?

As the plot unravels, it appears that both Maggie and Teddy have their own secrets. Teddy, who reported during the war, is struggling with PTSD but Maggie is none the wiser as to what he experienced. Maggie has signed a morality clause upon embarking on her new television adventure, and both fear that everything will come crashing down if their secrets get out.

American Housewife is a niche storyline for a particular demographic, but I enjoyed it, nonetheless. The concept of a married woman being the provider whilst struggling with the new-found fame was eye-opening considering the expectations at the time. And Teddy, who appears to enjoy the money and fame is none the wiser to Maggie’s past.

It was an easy read and compelling in a way that has you turning pages quicker than expected.

“Women needed to be independent, but at the same time, she and Teddy were a team.”

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

1950's New York City. Maggie Lane came to New York looking to live in a big city. Starting out as a temp, she read commercials on the radio. This was just the beginning. As a single girl and someone off a farm, she loved the fast pace of the city, and although she was living hand-to-mouth in a small studio apartment she was happy. At the same time she got her big break and became the "All American Housewife" she became the star of the show on tv "The Maggie Lane Baking Show." While her career took flight, she met Teddy Buckley, a veteran who had recently come back from the war. After two years of dating, they married, very quickly. Why you might ask? The sponsor of the show wanted her to be married as she would be representing the American housewife. Yet, after several months on the air and becoming a household name, the marriage was cracking, falling apart. There were secrets each one of them kept hidden! Teddy for his part worked behind the scenes of more than one radio program, but it was Maggie who was successful and earning much more money. Was he becoming Mr. Lane instead of Mr. Buckley? This was a typical program that housewives watched every morning, however, she really wasn't typical of the 1950's women, she worked.

For me it was a bit nostalgic reading about all the places and products mentioned in the book being a native New Yorker. at that time However, I feel as if it was written much too fast, most of it not going deep enough into the story...the background of both protagonists was missing. and the emotions felt empty After a while, I kept thinking they always ordered Chinese take-out...how much of that could they possibly eat?

My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First, a big thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC of Anita Abriel’s novel “American Housewife" – “For a beloved television star in 1950s America, image and reality clash in an insightful novel about fame, marriage, and secrets by the international bestselling author of The Light After the War.”

I was initially very intrigued by the summary of this book. I loved the duality of public vs private appearances. I feel like this is a current message with social media and online appearances - much like tv in the 1950s.

Overall, this is a lovely tale about a young woman in the 1950s who is balancing a new role in a relationship as well as a new success on tv. “American Housewife” explores relationship dynamics and expectations, especially the balance between power dynamics in careers. This book raises the question of what it means for women to have it all and if that is a realistic expectation.

Watching Maggie defy societal expectations in the 1950s was enjoyable. I wanted more from Maggie when it came to Teddy. There were times where I questioned why she was putting up with his bruised ego. I think that this does tie to the gender dynamics especially of the time, however, the opening line of the uncorrected proof read, “There was no point in trying to explain her feelings, Teddy wouldn’t understand. How could he? He might be in love with her and want her to be happy, but he was a man.”

I feel like there is still this feeling that men in general can sometimes struggle with emotion. Overall, this is a cozy, light novel set in the 1950s, the writing was immersive. I did want more from the ending - it does feel as though the author tied a neat little bow around everything and that doesn’t always feel like reality. It felt a little anticlimactic.

If you’re looking for a neat book that is a standalone, definitely give this one a go!

I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Marvelous Miss Maizel- though quite the opposite of it (not sure if that makes sense. A very interesting take on a newlywed housewife!

This was a great historical fiction from the 1950's. Most women of the time were limited to aspirations of housewives and in the workforce secretaries or teachers. However, Maggie Lane made a name for herself with a very supportive man. I loved how the character was developed and loved the flashbacks. I would have liked a little more of an update on Jake since he was such an important part of her life. Overall the story was very good with just a hint of a mysterious past. The ending did feel just a little rushed and I would have liked a little more of a conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot, the storyline and the characters.

This was a fantastic element to this book, it had that historical fiction element that perfectly worked overall. The concept was everything that I was looking for and enjoyed how good the characters worked in this plot. Anita Abriel has a great writing style and I was glad I got to read this. Maggie was a great character to follow and enjoyed that she worked in the time-period.

Wow! This is an inside look into a celebrity life and the turmoil that surrounds it. Characters and storyline are spot on. Good read. Recommend. I was given an advanced reader copy of this book by NetGalley and I am freely sharing my review.

A heartwarming tale about a young woman navigating life, love, and success in the 1950s. American Housewife explores the shifting dynamics when one partner’s career surpasses the other’s. It raises the question of what it truly means for women to “have it all”—and if that’s even possible.

I enjoyed getting to know Maggie and watching her defy societal expectations by building her own career in the 1950s. Her relationship with Teddy stood out to me though, especially considering how unusual it was at the time for a woman to be more successful than her husband. While I was rooting for them, there were moments when I felt Maggie was doing too much for Teddy—she wasn’t just bringing home the bacon but also putting in too much effort to soothe his bruised ego. That’s why I knocked off a star.

Overall, this is a light summer read with just enough depth to make you think.

Thanks to @netgalley and @amazonpublishing for this advance reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review. These are my honest opinions.

American Housewife promised a compelling exploration of a 1950s housewife balancing career and domesticity. While the setting was charming, the execution fell short.
The juxtaposition of Maggie's glamorous TV persona and her personal struggles was intriguing at first. However, her hypocrisy in advising viewers while neglecting her own marriage felt contrived and inconsistent. The lack of internal conflict and a clear antagonist until late in the story hindered the narrative's momentum.
The supporting characters were underdeveloped and added little to the plot. The frequent shifts between past and present felt jarring and disrupted the pacing. While the cozy historical fiction setting was appealing, the shallow storyline and one-dimensional characters ultimately left me wanting more.
If you're seeking a light and enjoyable read, American Housewife might offer a pleasant escape. However, those looking for a deeply engaging and thought-provoking story may find themselves disappointed.

I was so excited to receive this as an e-ARC from the publisher over netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

2.5/5. I was very interested in this story after reading it’s synopsis. I love stories set in this time period.

This is a lighthearted historical fiction that explores a women’s struggle between focusing on her career or personal life. It was a decent story that was quick to get through. I liked that the story was told through multiple timelines as well as the aspects of television, radio and fame. I also feel like you can never go wrong with setting a story in New York.

However, I do wish the characters were developed more, especially the main character Maggie. I often struggled to care for her throughout the story. The majority of her hardships were solved too quickly. This barely gave me the opportunity to sympathize or empathize with her character. I would start to feel the slightest bit concerned for her and then a problem would quickly resolve without further discussion or explanation. I think this story was a little rushed and maybe would have benefited from higher stakes for our main character.

The story was decent, but not my favourite. If you’re looking for a quick, low stakes, light historical fiction this may be for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the E-ARC.

This book is fantastic! I was immediately sucked into the story and didn’t want to put it down. I would say this is a nice, fairly short read. It is outside of my usual genres, but I enjoyed it a lot. There are mysteries throughout this story that keep you wanting to read as they slowly reveal themselves. What is Maggie’s big secret from her past that she fears sharing with her new husband? Where is Teddy going, what are his motives, and what happened to him during the war that’s left him unable to sleep peacefully? The author does a great job of telling the reader just enough to keep the plot moving forward without revealing so much that you guess the ending. I was shocked when Maggie’s past was fully explained. There are only 2 critiques I have. The first is that during one of Maggie’s flashbacks, the names of her current friends Dolly and Alan are mentioned, yet she wouldn’t have known them at that time. I may have been misreading how the line was intended, but I questioned if it was an oversight to have their names in that portion. The second is the ending itself. I personally liked the book less after finishing it. I thought the story was building to Maggie realizing her independence and power in it, but was left disappointed, and that’s all I can really say without giving up too much for future readers. I did not dock a star off my rating for it though, as many people will probably like how it wraps up. 
I will post my Goodreads review closer to the publishing date.

When I first looked at this book I wasn't sure I wanted to read it. It kept calling to me and I finally picked it up. What a story!
I loved all of the characters and the timeline too. It's a pretty fast paced novel that will melt your heart from the get go. I couldn't put Maggie and Teddy's story down. It was so good!
The cover is so adorable and that was one of the reasons I picked it up. I didn't want it to end but I knew it had to. By the time it was over my heart was left feeling full and satisfied,
There are places that will make you mad and some that will make you smile.
Secrets they're what make this story. They're what kept me turning the pages. Secrets don't stay hidden for long no matter what your station in life. Neither does jealousy but good always out weighs the bad.
5 stars from me for keeping my interest. I highly recommend.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

I loved the cover of this novel, and the book also drew me in quite quickly.

Time goes by, but does it really change? This book was set in the 40s/50s, but women's problems, trying to "have it all," remain.

Maggie's career goes on a quick trajectory, with her marriage happening quickly as well.

The age old question, Can a woman have it all? I enjoyed this book. Seeing how the cooking shows, when it was a new medium, adds some interesting plot points and characters to the book

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and Net Galley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

At times too slow and at times too fast, the pacing of this novel was just off for me. Set in the 1950s, it follows Maggie and Teddy through their impromptu and then rocky marriage, but also follows them through the WW2 and just-post-war years in their individual backstories. Gender roles and stereotypes are addressed, and we get to see how 'the other half' lives in NYC during this era. There are a lot of secrets and half-truths, some religious discrimination common to the era, and a baking show reminiscent of modern-day ones. Overall, I enjoyed the book until the end...when it felt like there was a jump and everything was just tied up in a neat little implausible bow and shipped off to the publisher.

I continue to think Anita Abriel is the new Danielle Steel. American Housewife is a great story of women's empowerment at a time when most "housewives" were at home. Abriel aptly shows the marital struggles and how breaking societal norms isn't easy.

A very enjoyable read!

I had some fun with this book, especially in the beginning by getting to know the main character and her struggles and routine, but I gotta say: for such a short book (at least I consider it to be short) there were moments I thought the pacing was too slow and in other moments, too fast. The historical setting also didn't convince me that much sometimes...but maybe it's just me.
I am now considering my reading experience and probably I'm not the proper reader for this book.

American Housewive by new to me author Anita Abriel, published by Lake Union Publishing, is a historical fiction love story. Facettful, well written, a warm and beautiful story that gives all the feels.
Set in the 1950ties in the US tells the book the story of an up and coming tv star and her husband who feels he's left behind in a man ruled world that's a bitter pill to swallow. Intriguing, literally unputdownable, a slow burn.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I love it when a book just reels me in from the very first sentence, it’s so rare too. “There was no point in trying to explain her feelings, Teddy wouldn’t understand. How could he? He might be in love with her and want her to be happy, but he was a man.”

This was great, I love a kind of cozy, light novel set in the 1950s. The descriptions were immersive, so I did enjoy the whole book despite feeling it was quite slow, and repetitive at points. As well as slightly anticlimactic at the end, felt like we waited for the whole book and everything was resolved so easily. This could appeal to other readers I’m sure, but I felt a little disappointed. Still a good book, though.